They say that scent is the strongest sense tied to memory. This holds true for Uchiha Sasuke. The cherry blossoms become so clear to him now…

Chapter 3: Reveal

…"You are Uchiha Sasuke, the last surviving member of your clan. You were the top of your graduating class and you're a very skilled ninja. Sometimes, you refer to yourself as a coward, but the truth is that you're just trying to protect everyone around you from harm and danger. You feel guilty about living since your entire clan was killed. But, you were only seven, and Sasuke-kun, I love you for who you are. To me you are my world; to me you are my hope. Sasuke-kun you are the most important person to me. I would do anything to protect you."

Sasuke looked at Sakura, as if for the first time. She had cut her pink hair to save him form the sound ninjas and she had risked her life when Gara threatened to kill him. She could have died every time the two of them were together in battle. She would never hide and she would never leave his side. She truly loved him and he loved her. But, Sasuke didn't call himself a coward for the way he was in combat, but for the fact that he could never let anyone know how he truly felt about everybody, about living.

"Sakura-chan, how do you know so much about me? What happened before the incident with Itachi?"

"Well, you were coming home from school and saw what had happened. At first you saw your entire family lying on the ground dead and then ran home. There you saw him and- well, I don't know the rest."

"I know that much, but before that. Was I happy?"

Sakura thought for a moment and remembered seeing Sasuke smiling a lot when he was younger.

"Yes, you were very happy. You were very social and- and we were friends."

"Were we?"

"When you were little you wanted to be just like your brother until that night. Sasuke, I have no idea what he put you through that night but I knew that it was bad when I saw you the next day. You had changed. You were cold and anti-social and you would never talk to anyone. You had forgotten about me and started over again."

"Really? Then I am sorry. Thank you, Sakura-chan."

"You're welcome."

"S-Sakura-chan, meet me at my house around dinnertime. I need to speak with you then."

"Oh, all right. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Sasuke disappeared and Sakura made her way home. She had brushed past the fallen tree and had not noticed that even in winter somehow, one last cherry blossom remained. It was strange that two seasons after it's bloom it still existed.

"Oka-san! I'm going to Ino's now," Sakura told her mother.

"Oh, then can you bring her some dessert? She loves my cream puffs!" her mother said.

"Okay, well see you later then."

She took the box of delicious sweets and ran to Ino's and gave her half of what was in the box.

"Sakura-chan? You're going to Sasuke-kun's house again aren't you?" Ino asked.

"Yes, could you play along again tonight please?"

"Sure, but only if you bring me to Sasuke-kun's house one day."

"Sure!" Sakura agreed.

"Good luck!" Ino said as Sakura ran to Sasuke's house.

When she arrived it was dark inside and out. It had appeared that no one was home. She knocked on the door and the door opened.

"How strange, why would Sasuke-kun leave his door open like this?" she wondered.

She entered the dark house and walked along the hall to Sasuke's room. A figure rushed passed her as she came towards the door. She turned around to see whom it was and no one was there.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura breathed.

Sakura heard deep breaths being drawn and the struggle to get off of the floor. She tripped over an overturned stool and fell onto the ground, dropping her box of sweets, which spilled onto the floor. She looked in front of her as she got up and saw Sasuke in front of her. He was lying in the floor and breathing heavily.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelped. "What happened? Are you all right?"

She ran towards the light switch and flipped it on. Sasuke didn't appear to have any physical wounds, except a forming bruise on his stomach. She helped him onto the bed and tidied up the room. All of Sasuke's books, chairs, papers, clothes, and furniture were everywhere.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura breathed.

She sat on her stool and watched him lie on the bed with fear in his eyes.

"Sakura-chan, how is it that you always seem to show up when I think about you?" he asked himself as his eyes darted towards her.

"Sasuke-kun, who did this to you?"

Sasuke tried to speak, but his words wouldn't come out. The image that the man had put into Sasuke's mind was horrible. He had seen Sakura being slaughtered along with his mother and father. All of his friends were dying as well. Naruto fell to the ground in pieces. Blood was everywhere, on the walls, the floor, on Sasuke's face. Everyone was gone and his brother laughed menacingly. He began to cry in his mind.

Tears formed in his eyes in the actual reality. When Sakura noticed she came closer to him. She wiped off the tears and hugged him.

"Speak to me," Sakura whispered. "You're in so much pain and there's nothing I can do to help you, unless you tell me what's going on. I love you, you and no one else. You're the only one that I can't bare to live without. Sasuke-kun, I would die for you," Sakura cried.

Sasuke's mind wandered back to reality and noticed that he was in his beloved's arms. He took a moment to come back to reality and he smelled a familiar scent.

"Cherry blossoms," Sasuke breathed.

He grabbed her arms and pushed her back. Sasuke stared at her and flashes of a young girl with pink hair came before his eyes.

"It was you," he said.

"What?"

"You're that girl that has haunted me from my past. You're the one who made me so happy. It was you. You were always at my side back then, weren't you?" Sasuke breathed.

"I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"Sakura-chan, it was you and it always has been. It's always been you that really loved me. You always risk your own life to save mine. Still I need you to explain why you love me. You never have."

"Um, well then… You're smart for one; you're very skilled and handsome. Your quietness is what draws other girls besides me to you. You're just so mysterious and many people don't know why. Fortunately, I've always been with you Sasuke-kun. I know oh so much about you. And I'd love to spend the rest of my life with you," she replied happily.

"S- Sakura-chan. We've been through a lot together and you've never abandoned me when danger and the death stared you right into the eye. I've known you for so many years. Through school, through the Chunin exam and I've never thanked you, for staying with me always. So, thanks."

"No problem, that's what a girl who was truly in love would do. That's why I did all of those things for you. It's because I've always loved you, Sasuke-kun. You are my one true love."

"And you are mine," Sasuke replied unexpectedly.

"What? Oh my God! Sasuke-kun really loves me!" Sakura flipped out in her head. "Really?" she asked in reality.

"Yeah, always actually. I called myself a coward because… I could never tell you how I felt. I could never tell anyone. That's why I called myself a coward Then-"

"Well then- then you're not a coward anymore. Are you, Sasuke-kun?"

"No, I guess not. But, I can still never beat that man."

"You will one day, you will."

The two sat on the bed together in silence. They stared at each other for a long time and Sasuke reached over for Sakura's hand. Her's willingly slipped into his and their eyes were full of passion as they stared at each other.

Well? What did you think? I know I know, this story has a lot of wrong information because I'm not up to episode one hundred, but episode eighty or something. I do own more but, I've been so busy that I couldn't watch them all yet. So, as I go along the story may get more interesting. I feel that nothing really happened in this chapter. Well, anyway just as always R&R please. And once again I beg of you NO FLAMES PLEASE!